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A celebration of spiritual grandeur

Jan 13, 2025 08:49 AM IST

Spread across a 4,000-hectare area, the sanitation system includes 10 walk-behind sweeping machines, over 150,000 toilets, 25,000 dustbins, and 5,000 urinals.

Baldev Agrahri’s reflective jacket gleams in the sunlight as he sweeps the chequered plate roads on the banks of the Ganga, collecting everything from discarded plastic bottles to half-eaten guavas. Holding a garbage bag in one hand and a broom in another, he moves through a maze of pilgrims – all gathering on the holy banks of the mythical sangam of the Ganga, Yamuna and the Saraswati river for the opening of the Mahakumbh on Monday.

Devotees at Mahakumbh on Day 1(Prayagraj District Administration via ANI) PREMIUM
Devotees at Mahakumbh on Day 1(Prayagraj District Administration via ANI)

The 39-year-old earns 267 a day. His work begins at 9am, and stretches for eight hours. He spends his day sweeping the kumbh area, mela ground and the approach roads, cleaning a stretch of 2km. But the Jaipur resident is not complaining.

“Cleanliness holds great significance in our religion. Even our prime minister (Narendra Modi) emphasises that it is a form of divine service. I take pride in doing my part to keep the Mahakumbh Nagar clean,” he said.

Agrahari is among over 15,000 sanitation staff members deployed for the Kumbh. During his visit last month, PM Modi lauded the “selfless” efforts of sanitation workers, recognising their crucial role in “maintaining the purity” of the event.

Spread across a 4,000-hectare area, the sanitation system includes 10 walk-behind sweeping machines, over 150,000 toilets, 25,000 dustbins, and 5,000 urinals, complemented by 160 waste management vehicles. Additionally, two battery-operated vacuum litter pickers are stationed to keep the space pristine. The total cost of the high-tech cleaning equipment is estimated between 45 lakh and 50 lakh.

The facilities include 49,000 kannath (tent enclosure) toilets with soak pits, 12,000 fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) toilets with septic tanks, 17,000 FRP toilets with soak pits, 9,000 prefabricated steel-based toilets.

Special accommodations have also been made for the differently-abled, with accessible toilets in place. Overall, more than 350 mobile toilets, 15,000 cemented toilets, and 500 VIP toilets have been installed, besides 20,000 FRP urinal units.

“The entire sanitation infrastructure, including jet spray cleaning systems and a comprehensive cesspool operation plan, has been established. All facilities will be monitored through supervisors,” said Akanksha Rana, special executive officer for the Mahakumbh.

Each cleaner has been assigned 10 toilets. The cleaners work in eight hour shifts to maintain toilets and other sanitation facilities.

To maintain hygiene, all sanitation workers will have to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). Regular checks will also be conducted to make sure all facilities, including flush systems and soap dispensers, are functional.

The waste from toilets and other waste collected in the Kumbh area would be taken to a waste treatment plant in Baswar village of Prayagraj district, located 20km from the event area.

Laxmi Basor (46) and Guddi (35), residents of Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, are two other sanitation workers. Both women said that they would get 12,000 for their work as cleaners for the 45-day event.

Guddi said that many women from her locality are working with her during the event. “I am here with many other women from my locality. I am feeling at home as we get to eat fresh meals served by several bhandaras,” she said.

Basor, on the other hand, was elated as the job enabled her to earn some money while also getting to participate in one of the biggest events on Earth. “I am looking forward to taking a dip during the six bathing festivals as this is a once in a lifetime event,” she added.

Mahakumbh special executive officer Rana said that the organisers have made “full proof plans” for the collection of waste during busy days such as the six important bathing dates –– Paush Purnima (January 13), Makar Sankranti (January 14), Mauni Amavasya (January 29), Basant Panchami (February 3), Maghi Purnima (February 12), and Mahashivratri (February 26).

“We have made full proof plan for collection of waste with the help of sanitation workers and a fleet of trucks, which would transport all waste including sewage from the mela area to Baswar,” she added.

Authorities say the Ganga’s purity remains a central focus, with efforts aimed at creating plastic-free zones and implementing efficient waste management practices. To support this initiative, 20,000 waste collection bins have been strategically placed across the fairground, each equipped with liner bags for easy waste disposal. In total, over 3.77 million liner bags have been distributed, further bolstering the waste management system.

Special cleanliness initiatives were launched with a budget of 152.37 crore for the Mahakumbh. These efforts incorporate both advanced technology and traditional practices to create an eco-friendly and sustainable environment. “We have different types of workers and all of them have been allocated task accordingly,” Rana said.

Baldev said that he was proud to be part of such a big occasion. “I am happy that I am able to make a difference in the lives of several devotees by keeping the (Kumbh) area clean,” he said.

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